Former Mayor Bill Purcell’s father passes away

Our condolences to former Mayor Bill Purcell, whose father, William Paxon Purcell Jr., died at home Friday morning after a brief illness. He was 87.

The elder Purcell lived in Pennsylvania, where his son grew up before setting off for college in New York and then law school at Vanderbilt University, which launched him on the path to state legislative service and Nashville’s highest office.

Mr. Purcell was a World War II veteran and a food broker, an agent for companies that wanted to get their products on grocery store shelves.

The funeral will be held Tuesday. Here’s some information on arrangements that Purcell’s associates received this morning: